SERENDIPITY CINEMA

"Murder By Decree" Movie Review

2007-02-12T05:21:00.000-08:00

100. Murder by Decree There are any number of historical inaccuracies that litter this film, and Holmes fanatics can belabor aspects (the actual use of the deerstalker hat was infrequent at best in the books) but if you can set those things aside and just watch as a newborn film fan, there is a lot here to like. Christopher Plummer makes an unusually believable Holmes, and James Mason absolutely nails the character of Watson. Frank Finley makes Lastrade something he has rarely been before - - Lestade! The plot about the Masonic conspiracy that attempts to cover the Royal house’s involvement in the Jack the Ripper killings actually becomes riveting. In many hands it could have been pedestrian, but it is anything but. With psychics and political opportunists and Princes and riff raff of all kinds all about, this one doesn’t leave you a minute to take a breath. It is beautifully photographed and the action sequences crackle. The story of Holmes and Jack the Ripper has been handled in films before, most notably “A Study in Terror.” But this one has the big studio touch, and the investment of an obvious commitment of its stars to do this thing up right. The only real sad part is that Plummer and Mason never played Holmes and Watson again. They are right up there with the best portrayers of the residents of 221 B Bakers Street the screen has ever seen. Christopher Plummer . . . . Sherlock Holmes James Mason . . . . Dr. John H. Watson David Hemmings . . . . Inspector Foxborough Susan Clark . . . . Mary Kelly Anthony Quayle . . . . Sir Charles Warren John Gielgud . . . . Lord Salisbury Frank Finlay . . . . Inspector Lestrade Donald Sutherland . . . . Robert Lees Geneviève Bujold . . . . Annie Crook Chris Wiggins . . . . Doctor Hardy Teddi Moore . . . . Mrs. Lees Peter Jonfield . . . . William Slade Roy Lansford . . . . Sir Thomas Spivey There are equal elements of “Sweeney Todd” and “The Seven-Per-Cent Solution” here, so if you liked either of those films, you may find that this is your taste of Holmes that could lead to an addiction. As a fellow addict, I certainly hope so, mersham and deerstalker aside.

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"The Iron Giant" Movie Review

2006-12-03T21:03:00.000-08:00

94. The Iron Giant

When folks of my generation were only kids (and yes you snide younger people, there were moving pictures way back then) the only animated features were done by some outfit called Disney. They were, just about, the only game in any town.
Sure the Fleischer brothers had done "Gulliver's Travels" and "Mr. Hoppity Goes to Town." Not to mention the occasional Japanese import, but those most often showed up only on Saturday morning matinees called "Kiddie Shows" that none of us would be caught dead in.
Hanna Barbera even tried to give us a feature version of Yogi Bear, but, all in all, Walt had the market sewed up. Then came Bakshi, and after that Don Bluth and, before you knew it, there were alternatives. Some of them good, some of them really bad. Just the way the movies have always been. Somebody once said, "You have to know that 90% of all art is crap. 10% is mediocre. 8% is good. You just sit and hope for that other 2% to make things worthwhile."

"The Iron Giant" is that 2%. Based on the Ted Hughes book "The Iron Man," this may be the rare case of improbing on the original. This one is adventurous, without being mindless. This one is something that kids and adults can really enjoy sitting side by side.

The story of a non-Japanese giant robot is rare enough in itself. But this one is exciting and funny and thought provoking. Government conspiracies, the relationship between a child's world and that of the adults, and even thoughts on what it is to be sentient, these are explored without ever preaching or making the decisions for you.
The robot just shows up from outer space and connects (as it seems robots always do) with a young boy. From that point on the government is after it, and his buddy is out to save him. It has a great voice cast, magnificent visual imagery and snappy dialog that belies the audience those uneducated in animation will think it is aimed towards.

Here is some of that voice cast:
Jennifer Aniston ....
Annie Hughes
Harry Connick Jr. ....
Dean McCoppin
Vin Diesel ....
The Iron Giant
James Gammon ....
Marv Loach/Floyd Turbeaux/General Sudokoff
Cloris Leachman ....
Mrs. Lynley Tensedge
Christopher McDonald ....
Kent Mansley
John Mahoney ....
General Rogard
Eli Marienthal ....
Hogarth Hughes
M. Emmet Walsh ....
Earl Stutz

If you have a kid that you need to entertain, even if that kid is you, you will not do better than this one. If you can tell the difference between "art" and "junk" (which the robot can’t in an exceptionally hilarious sequence) this is the film for you.

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"The Secret War of Harry Frigg" Movie Review

2006-11-19T08:26:00.000-08:00

94. The Secret War of Harry Frigg

It is so rare that a "star" is seen having so much fun with "yeoman" actors.
By "Yeoman" I mean those folks who work day after day, doing good work, but rarely getting the spectacular acclaim that they deserve. To of my "Yeoman" idols are Whit Bissell and Michael Ripper. They were in dozens of films, like great magazine illustrators, deftly touching up the painting that would make the art come alive for us, without ever calling attention to themselves.
They are the actors that make the piece work,
while the star adds the flourish. This is a place where you can't turn around without seeing a familiar face, and every one is hitting on all cylinders.
Newman shows his admiration for these working actors by not lording over this film, but by joining the cast with absolute commitment.

It would have been easy for him to do a regular star turn and this would have made just as much money at the box office. This story about a loser who is only good at escaping from the army stockade would have been a great place for any actor to make himself look good. Since he is only good at escape, the army finally finds a good use for him.

You see, these five one star generals have been captured in Turkey by the invading Italians in World War II. All being of equal rank they can never agree on a plan of escape, and since they are the only generals in captivity and therefore placed in pretty luxurious digs, it is a propaganda nightmare for the allies. It seems everyone thinks they just don't want to get out.
Therefore Harry Frigg (Newman) is raised in rank from buck private to two star general and dropped into Italy, so he will be sent to the same royal villa as the others. The difference is that Frigg, a perennial loser, does decide that he likes it there so much he doesn't want to leave.

Instead of being "Mr. Handsome Victim of Society, but always with a glint in his eye," Newman makes the character lovable, but an absolute schmuck.

The generals and their jailor are all absolutely brilliant. You will recognize them from a hundred movie and TV roles, with Tom Bosley being the one most people can name. You might also be suprised to see Charles Grey here. But they are all having a glorious time, and giving us the same. Vito Scotti as the Italian officer (formerly from the Ritz in Genoa) is a scream as the fawning commandandant.
When the Nazis come on the scene and things get a little more serious the film loses none of its charm and the resolution should fool no one, but neither be a disappointment to any.
This should rank with the great service comedies like "No Time for Sergeants," "Kelly's Heroes" and "Operation Madball."

Here is that cast:
Paul Newman ....
Pvt. Harry Frigg
Sylva Koscina ....
Countess Francesca De Montefiore
Andrew Duggan ....
Gen. Newton Armstrong
Tom Bosley ....
Gen. Roscoe Pennypacker
John Williams ....
Gen. Mayhew
Charles Gray ....
Gen. Cox-Roberts
Vito Scotti ....
Col. Enrico Ferrucci
Jacques Roux ....
Gen. Rochambeau
Werner Peters ....
Maj. von Steignitz
James Gregory ....
Gen. Homer Prentiss
Fabrizio Mioni ....
Lt. Rossano
Johnny Haymer ....
Sgt. Pozzallo
Norman Fell ....
Capt. Stanley
Buck Henry ....
Stockade Commandant
Horst Ebersberg ....
Lt. Gruber
Richard X. Slattery ....
MP Sergeant

Watch it to see a star who never takes himself too seriously, character actors who never take their craft lightly, and a film that never lets you down.

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"Music for Millions" Movie Review

2006-11-08T07:54:00.000-08:00

93. Music For Millions

This film may not be right for the cynical world we live in today. It is full of heart and caring and wondrous melodies.
To show you how "Un-hip" it is, National Lampoon gave it a "Worst Movie" Award. By comparison it also recieved an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay. Lo, how the years have changed.

What those folks didn't realize, or, possibly care about, was that this was exactly what the war weary country needed to give it hope and comfort in some very dark days.

Margaret O'Brien is the child of every one of us, who tries to help her pregnant older sister (June Allyson), who is terrified for her absent GI husband. Allyson is a cellist in Jose Iturbi's orchestra, giving us a chance to hear a lot of great classical music. We also see the chemistry of the orchestra and the women who make it sing. A highlight of the film features Jimmy Durante (an almost forgotten performer today),

belting out his famed nightclub piece "Umbriago." The film got an Academy Award nomination for screenwriter Myles Connelly, plus a special Oscar for Margaret O'Brien.
The scenes between O'Brien and Durante are, in themselves, reason to watch the film.

Hugh Herbert makes a cameo (as the uncle of Marie Wilson) that is also a little gem, and you will have to brush a tear away if you let yourself go.

Here's that cast:
Margaret O'Brien ....
Mike
José Iturbi ....
Himself
Jimmy Durante ....
Andrews
June Allyson ....
Barbara Ainsworth
Marsha Hunt ....
Rosalind
Hugh Herbert ....
Uncle Ferdinand
Harry Davenport ....
Doctor
Marie Wilson ....
Marie
Larry Adler ....
Larry
Ben Lessy ....
Kickebush
Connie Gilchrist ....
Travelers Aid Woman
Katharine Balfour ....
Elsa
Helen Gilbert ....
Helen
Mary Parker ....
Anita
Madeleine LeBeau ....
Jane

All in all there isn't a lick of cynicism to be found anywhere. And isn't that a nice place to visit now and then?

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"Voyage of the Unicorn" Movie Review

2006-10-16T23:05:00.000-07:00

92. Voyage of the Unicorn

A professor and his daughters are attacked by Trolls in the middle of the evening.
Then they are saved by a pair of magical sailors who take them aboard a mystical ship to a distant land. And that's in the first couple of minutes.
What follows covers nearly every kind of mystical creature you've ever heard of, and is a mythic quest in the best of terms.
Based on the highly enjoyable book "Voyage of the Basset," this one delivers time and again.

A Hallmark production starring Beau Bridges as the befuddled father and scholar who must go to a place where his family seems to be the pivitol players in an ancient prophecy upon which all the land depends for survival.
The evil trolls are trying to kill them, and the heroes are trying to solve the magical puzzle and gather Monsters and warriors that will allow them to save Oberon and Titania's fairyland to contine to reign in peace and beauty.

If there is anyone with a spark of imagination in your house, someone who dreams of fantasy and adventure in the purest terms, they will fall in love with this story.
Unicorns, Minotaurs, Dragons, Gorgons, Harpies, Fairies and many more are all players in this epic little quest drama.
But the aspect that is most important, the thing that makes this one so nice, is family. The love of one for another, the legacy of a mother who has passed away and yet left so much love behind that she still shapes the important days.

This was originally a two part mini-series, so it is a little long. It doesn't smack you in the face with special effects, either. But, believe it or not, it doesn't need to do anything different.
This one proves what the Beatles sang, "All You Need is Love."

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"Rachel and the Stranger" Movie Review

2006-10-02T08:55:00.000-07:00

91. Rachel & the Stranger

This film is the definition of "Charming."
There is adventure, sure.
The western setting always promises that.

But this is a case of Loretta Young, at her most captivating. Robert Mitchum is not just rugged and imposing, but also gentle and romantic. Plus William Holden is here doing the kind of lost man that we love to see him doing. He is man so intent on something that he loses the important things along the way.

The story is about a bondswoman (something like an indentured servant) who marries Holden, not out of love but necessity. He needs a mother for his son (who is not in the least interested in having one) and she needs a place to be.
Relations are cold,
and friction is frequent.
But Rachel is not willing to give up. She doesn't just want a place, but a home. And even she is not to be a proper wife and beloved mother, she does want to make these two men have a family.
Then, enter Mitchum. The mountain man, friend of Holden, is quickly taken with Young. She, while she knows herself to be married, is flattered by the attention.

While Rachel has been winning over the son, bit by bit, the father only starts to take notice when he feels he has gotten competition.
This film has action, romance, lots of laughs and above all a tenderness that is so missing from so many contemporary films.
It is unfortunate that Young has been relegated to the shadows of the Hollywood pantheon, for she was wonderful and lovely. This film shows just how powerful a figure she could bring to the screen, without losing an ounce of her beauty and vulnerability.

Here is that cast:
Loretta Young .... Rachel Harvey
William Holden .... David Harvey
Robert Mitchum .... Jim Fairways
Gary Gray .... Davey
Tom Tully .... Parson Jackson
Sara Haden .... Mrs. Jackson
Frank Ferguson .... Mr. Green
Walter Baldwin .... Gallus
Regina Wallace .... Mrs. Green

If you miss this film the world will not end. But if you see it you will realize that you would have missed a gem of great value.

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"The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" movie review

2006-09-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

90. Private Life of Sherlock Holmes.

Billy Wilder created some of the most impressive films ever released. "Some Like it Hot" and "The Seven Year Itch" show the master's deft touch with comedy. For his darker side you only need to see "Double Indemnity" or "Sunset Boulevard." He even excelled in romance in films like "The Apartment" and "Sabrina." It is obvious that the man could do just about anything.

Sherlock Holmes is one of the few literary characters that has become real to most of the people in the world. When Arthur Conan Doyle wrote for Strand Magazine a series of stories based on the observational methods reminiscent of his teacher Dr. Joseph Bell, the world took them to their heart.
This film brings the two together.

With a cast that finds nuance to the characters that is rarely even attempted, the film takes us through a story that is alternately hilarious and exciting.
From the possibility of the Loch Ness monster to pre-World War I German Spies, from Opera infatuations to squads of midgets attending Scottish graveyards, this film covers ground you would never expect. The performances are uniformly top-notch, the visuals are lush and inviting. The I.A.L. Diamond script gives us dialog that crackles with wit and humanity at the same time.

The cast includes:
Robert Stephens .... Sherlock Holmes
Colin Blakely .... Dr.John H. Watson
Geneviève Page.... Ilse von Hoffmanstal
(aka Gabrielle Valladon)
Christopher Lee .... Mycroft Holmes
Tamara Toumanova .... Madame Petrova
Clive Revill .... Nikolai Rogozhin
Irene Handl .... Mrs. Hudson
Mollie Maureen .... Queen Victoria
Stanley Holloway .... Gravedigger
Catherine Lacey.... Woman in wheelchair
Peter Madden .... Von Tirpitz

Billy Wilder has given the world
a lot of celluloid gifts.
This is one of the least known ones.
It is sort of a surprise party for movie goers.

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"Crossed Swords" Movie Review

2006-08-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

89. Crossed Swords
(AKA The Prince and the Pauper)

Charlton Heston, George C. Scott and Oliver Reed head a truly star-studded cast in this Richard Fliescher version of the Mark Twain story of the Prince who changes places with a pauper.

It is a worthy translation with all the swash and verve of the Lester Musketeers. There is magnificent costuming, sets and characters. Heston as Henry VIII is not quite there,

but the rest of the show is the kind of wondrous adventure to make whatever is left of a young person in you snap to attention and ride along.

Reed is especially good in the part previously done best by Errol Flynn, but there is more of the rogue in Reed that makes the part his. It is hard to know just what it was that kept this one from being on a bunch of "Best of the Year" critic lists, but one can only reason that it was the traffic jam of swashbucklers that were coming out at that time.

"The Duelists" "The Highwayman" and others made it look like this kind of costume drama was coming back, and when things look like that, there is always a chance of backlash. But this one should have overcome it. This one has most everything a film should have.

Here is the cast:
Oliver Reed ....
Miles Hendon
Raquel Welch ....
Edith
Mark Lester ....
Edward/Tom
Ernest Borgnine ....
John Canty
George C. Scott ....
The Ruffler
Rex Harrison ....
The Duke of Norfolk
David Hemmings ....
Hugh Hendon
Harry Andrews ....
Hertford
Julian Orchard ....
St. John
Murray Melvin ....
Prince's Dresser
Lalla Ward ....
Princess Elizabeth
Felicity Dean ....
Lady Jane
Sybil Danning ....
Mother Canty
Graham Stark ....
Jester
Preston Lockwood ....
Father Andrew

If you haven't read the original story, or haven't seen the other versions, you are on the beginning of a great journey. I have to admit, I am a bit jealous of you at this point. I've seen it, and it would be great to be seeing it again, for the first time. Happy adventuring!

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"Once Upon A Time" Movie Review

2006-08-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

88. Once Upon A Time

A dancing caterpillar?
A movie about a dancing caterpillar?
You have got to be kidding.
    No, this film is not
only about a boy
whose pet caterpillar (named Curly)
dances (actually wiggles)
when he plays
"Yes Sir, That's My Baby,"
and about the producer/hustler
who is changed by the world that
the three of them create together.
    Jerry Flynn (Cary Grant, in a performance that is better
than the material he is given) plays the down on his luck
Broadway slicker who encounters the small boy and his odd little friend.
    Somehow word gets out and people find something
in the idea of the boy with
his harmonica and the insect.
They grab on to them
as some kind of hope
in a world torn by a war
that is not going well at that time.
    Now comes the time to capitalize
on the miracle and you have to wonder
if Flynn will be the good guy
or the bad guy when the smoke clears.

    And then, the unthinkable happens,
Curly vanishes.
Could there have been some
kind of horrible accident?
Could someone else have stolen
the little headline maker?
Or is the disappearance some
kind of publicity stunt?
    This is not world changing cinema.
There are not even
enough pictures on the web
to fill out an article.
Some people will look at this film and dismiss it.
So much the sadder for them.
    It is from a simpler time,
for a more naïve viewership.
It harkens back to a time when
folks wanted things to work out,
and had a hope that it would.
We live in a time when
there are people who can't watch black and white
or silent movies just cause they're too different
from what they see every day.
Here's some of the cast:
Cary Grant .... Jerry Flynn
Janet Blair .... Jeannie Thompson
James Gleason .... The Moke
Ted Donaldson .... Arthur 'Pinky' Thompson
William Demarest .... Brandt
This movie wasn't made for the "Reality Show" generation.
So maybe movies like this are just
what those folks need more than anything else.

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"The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T" Movie Review

2006-07-10T08:28:00.000-07:00

87. "The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T "
There are just so few movies that were made, in whole, for young boys. Not teenagers, not toddlers,
but for boys 7-10. "The Invisible Boy" is one, if not necessarily a great one. Then there is
"The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T."
    It also happens to be the only feature ever written and designed by Ted Geisel (Better known as Dr. Seuss).
    You cannot escape the sound and look of the Dr. where ever you look or listen in this film, and those are the parts that are glorious.
    This story of the evil piano teacher (Hans Conried) or the heroic (eventually) plumber Mr. Zablodowski, just plain vibrates on a level that
could only be truly appreciated by the unjaded eye and ears of a kid who
went to "Grinch" school on beyond Zebra.
    There are a couple of other points to mention.
    Like "Invaders From Mars" you have to sit back and realize that this is
all part of a child's mind, and if you try to grade it any other way you lose the charm and innocence that it is bathed with.
    Secondly, you have to remember the era that this comes from.
The mystical references to things "Atomic" must be viewed in context. This was something so new as to cause any use of the word to make everyone in the neighborhood duck and cover.
    Finally, this takes place at that point in a boys life when there is no
more pristine, saintly figure in the world than your mother. She is capable of no evil, except by the control of a entity so hideous that by the mere
use of someone who is so pure she could never have had sex, much less enjoy it, that he (the controller) must come directly from Hell itself.
    Is this a great movie? Well . . . no. It is a great time. It is unendingly enjoyable.
    You will be glad you watched, and you will have a good time. The songs are fun, if not memorable. Conried is, as always, beyond great in his
performance (As good as he was as "Uncle Tanuse" on "Make Room for Daddy!").
    And, in these post "Brokeback Mountain" era there are a couple of moments that will get laughs for all the wrong reasons (i.e. the song "Dress me, Dress me" and the almost creepy ballet in the "Non-Piano Dungeon.")
    But, the good guys win and the bad guys lose and all is right with the world at the end. Here is the cast: Peter Lind Hayes.... August Zabladowski Mary Healy.... Heloise Collins Hans Conried.... Dr. Terwilliker Tommy Rettig.... Bartholomew Collins John Heasley.... Uncle Whitney Robert Heasley.... Uncle Judson Noel Cravat.... Sgt. Lunk George Chakiris.... Dancer And, it's by Dr. Seuss, darn it! And it's better than the Mike Myers "The Cat in the Hat" with one eye closed!

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"The Mudlark" Movie Review

2006-06-25T21:45:00.000-07:00

86. The Mudlark This one is a genuine classic, though many people will never
have heard of it. It should have
been elevated to near "Oliver Twist" mythos, but it might have been thought "Even more English," and been dismissed. It tells of a time when people lived within the class system, and could see grace and nobility in it. By this, it shows us how human dignity does not reside in classes, but within the souls of every individual.The story takes place in 1875 London and is about young Wheeler, the very "Mudlark" himself. Mudlark was a name given street children who survive by scavenging on the banks of the River Thames. Wheeler there finds a cameo of Queen Victoria, which he thinks to be so beautiful he risks his life to save it.

When he presents the cameo for inspection to an older friend he is told that "she is the mother of all England," and Wheeler, who had no mother adopts the idea that she is his mother. He becomes obsessed with meeting her. Victoria , however, has adopted a seclusionary lifestyle, despite advice from the likes of the savvy Benjamin Disraeli.

He argues that her seclusion is hurting the crown and she must get out for the people to connect with her in at least the slightest way. Somehow the child gets past all of guards and walls to see his beloved mother. This, despite the fact that Windsor castle is in preparations for a state dinner. What happens then is sparkling and wonderful. The cast is full of magnificent performances by the likes of Irene Dunne & Alec Guiness. This one has just about everything you could want from a film, and a little bit more.

Here is the cast:
Irene Dunne . . . . Queen Victoria
Alec Guinness . . . . Benjamin Disraeli
Andrew Ray . . . . Wheeler
Beatrice Campbell . . . . Lady Emily Prior
Finlay Currie . . . . John Brown
Anthony Steel . . . . Lieutenant Charles McHatten
Raymond Lovell . . . . Sergeant Footman Naseby
Marjorie Fielding . . . . Lady Margaret Prior
Constance Smith . . . . Kate Noonan
Ronan O'Casey . . . . Slattery
Edward Rigby . . . . The Watchman
Robin Stevens . . . . Herbert
William Strange . . . . Sparrow
Kynaston Reeves . . . . General Sir Ponsonby
Wilfrid Hyde-White . . . . Tucker
This was a favorite of my beloved
Mother-In-Law Dorothy,
it is one of mine
and I think it will become
one of yours.

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"Movie Movie" Movie Review

2006-06-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

85. Movie Movie

This is a one of a kind movie,
or perhaps two.
It is really two films,
bound together by the era
in which they are set.
Set in the 1930's they
are a pair of parodies.

One has fun with the whole
format of the classic
"Boxing" films,
the second one
takes on the musical.

You will see every cliché’ of the genre,
and never have seen it
delivered with more zest,
or by anyone having more fun.
George C. Scott takes the lead in both films.
This first one touches on the
monumental turf of films like
"Body & Soul" and "The Champ" on its way
to having a rollicking time
with the whole idea.

The other film is a tribute
to Busby Berkley and the movie musical of the 1930's,
before they put together real "formula" for the whole thing.
(Of course we figure out quickly that this is the formula)

Here is the cast:
George C. Scott ....
Gloves Malloy/Spats Baxter
Trish Van Devere ....
Betsy McGuire/Isobel Stuart
Red Buttons ....
Peanuts/Jinks Murphy
Eli Wallach ....
Vince Marlow/Pop
Harry Hamlin ....
Joey Popchik
Ann Reinking ....
Troubles Moran
Jocelyn Brando ....
Mama Popchik/Mrs. Updike
Michael Kidd ....
Pop Popchik
Kathleen Beller ....
Angie Popchik
Barry Bostwick ....
Johnny Danko/Dick Cummings
Art Carney ....
Doctor Blaine/Doctor Bowers

The word was that Scott
would only do the Johnny Carson Tonight Show
if he could do a sketch,
since he loved to "hoke" it up.
He gets just such a fest here,
and if you are a movie nut,
this one will be a joy to you.
(BTW It is silly,
I hope you don't mind silly)

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"The Mouse & His Child" Movie Review

2006-05-28T08:06:00.000-07:00

84. The Mouse and His Child
(AKA"The Extrordinary Adventures of the Mouse and His Child")
There is nothing here that you expect.
The characters are like something out of a child's fevered dreams.

Nothing is as simple as it must be to
fit the mold of
a children's animated movie.
That is exactly the point.
We have the story of a pair of toy mice
who quest to become "self winding."
The Novel, by Russell Hoban,
is in a stylethat has been dubbed both
"Magic Realism"
& "Lyrical Math Fiction"

Let that idea rattle around in your head for a while and you understand that this wasn't really aimed at just the regular tot audience.
You will find this one hard to find
in the U.S. for just that reason.

Several editions of the book are available, but the film has never been released on DVD. It has death, discussions on the idea of life and a melancholy aspect that made it just out of the reach of muchof its potential audience. It seems, when one gets right down to it, more in line with the "Fritz the Cat"

or "Wizards" crowd, but not really.
Visually it is lovely and has the look
of a book you might find in a
hedge maze somewhere in
the English country side.
You might think of it as
"Winnie the Pooh" meets
"Heavy Metal."
But not quite.
Whatever you think, if you do, indeed,
think, this is a movie that will
leave a lasting impression with you.

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"The Moonshine War" Movie Review

2006-05-07T07:43:00.000-07:00

83. The Moonshine War

This movie is all about character.
It tells of the last days of prohibition.

Alan Alda plays a man just sitting on a huge cache of booze
and waiting for it to become legal.
Patrick McGoohan plays a crooked G-Man,
with an agenda of his own.

Richard Widmark is a corrupt dentist,
Teri Garr is a sexy young thing,
and there are enough amazingly
over-the-top characterizations
to make anyone smirk with superiority.
There are times this adaptation of the Elmore Leonard

story moves a little slow,
but you are always rewarded
by sticking with the plot.
You may find yourself standing in the "Anti-Matter" version
of "The Sting" with just a touch of the

tongue in cheek tribute to
"Ma & Pa Kettle."
Whatever you are looking for,
there is a lot here to digest.

Here is that cast:
Patrick McGoohan. . . . Frank Long
Richard Widmark. . . . Dr. Emmett Taulbee
Alan Alda. . . . John W. (Son) Martin
Melodie Johnson. . . . Lizann Simpson
Will Geer. . . . Mr. Baylor
Joe Williams. . . . Aaron
Teri Garr. . . . Young Wife
Susanne Zenor. . . . Miley Mitchell
Lee Hazlewood. . . . Dual Metters
Max Showalter. . . . Mr. Worthman
Harry Carey Jr.. . . . Arley Stamper
Tom Nolan. . . . Lowell
Dick Peabody. . . . Boyd Caswell
John Schuck. . . . E.J. Royce
Bo Hopkins. . . . Bud Blackwell
Charles Tyner. . . . Mr. McClendon

Like any good meal you cut away the parts you don't like
and still find enough of the good stuff to make for an enjoyable repast.
Eat hearty.

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"Radar Men From The Moon" Movie Review

2006-04-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

82. Radar Men from the Moon

Forget science.
Lots of fiction.
Forget movie, serial!

Since it is in the public domain, this one is readily available on DVD

(the perfect format to watch serials, since you don’t have to
wind tapes to the next chapter and such)

and if you have not done the serial thing, this is a wonderful place to start.

Most people will say that
the "Flash Gordon" serials

or "Adventures of Captain Marvel"
are the best ones

for your first introduction to the form,

but they always preceded that with
“These are the best ever made.”

No pressure there.

This is not the best serial ever made,
but it is a lot of fun.

The plots are pretty easy to follow and all the perfect elements are there.

Space ships, guns and a fight every 6.5 minutes are those elements.

The story was the one that inspired "The Rocketeer."

A man has a back pack
that allows him to fly!

He had two dials on his chest,
one marked "Up"

and the other marked “Down!”
Ah, the space age!

One of the villains’ henchmen would later

become known as the Lone Ranger,

but here he was just Clayton Moore.

It is silly in this day, but with some imagination

you can understand why this was slam-bang entertainment in its day.

This was the "24" of that time.

Then there are three more serials
from this character,

all fun and all more than engaging.

One more proviso! For this to be at all effective,

you should not watch more than
one episode a day.

Put in as the appetizer before something else,

and make yourself wait to see "how they get out of this one."

Sure, you can figure it out but the anticipation is part of the fun.

Now, get your popcorn and milk duds.

Pretend you are a kid again and slowly turn down the lights.

Now, Commando Cody, take to the air!

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"Sunset" Movie Review

2006-04-09T20:35:00.000-07:00

81. Sunset
This is a take on the Hollywood that was the subject of
"Hearts of the West."
But it is an entirely different take.
The real Wyatt Earp (James Garner) has been brought in

to be a "Consultant" on a film
about his life.
The star of the film is real cowboy
turned movie star
Tom Mix (Bruce Willis).

The two men hit it off, they are, at heart,
still that archetype of a cowboy hero,

from the "everyman mold," and they see
the world beyond tinsel and glamour.
Neither of them get along with any
of the studio authority figures
(or, indeed, much of
any authority figures)
that they are supposed to bow too.

They can enjoy somethings about this hedonistic life,
but there are conpromises here
that are not so easy to embrace.
Both men are hard living,
nearly film noir cowboys.

Earp is still a lawman,
even if he doesn't wear a badge.
This doesn't go down well
with the local cops,
who are by the book, even when
the book is laden with graft.
Then things heat up.
There are murders and abuse
and bad people hiding
around the film sets.
The boys get involved and it becomes
an unroutine "Buddy Picture."

Though it doesn't really play
like many films you have seen,
this Blake Edwards gem
is worth your time.
There is enough real history
here to make you curious,
and there are enough recognizable characters
from Hollywood's
Golden history to make you ask,
"Did ______ really do that?"

Here is the cast:
Bruce Willis. . . . Tom Mix
James Garner. . . . Wyatt Earp
Malcolm McDowell. . . . Alfie Alperin
Mariel Hemingway. . . . Cheryl King
Kathleen Quinlan. . . . Nancy Shoemaker
Jennifer Edwards. . . . Victoria Alperin
Patricia Hodge. . . . Christina Alperin
Richard Bradford. . . . Captain Blackworth
M. Emmet Walsh. . . . Chief Marvin Dibner
Joe Dallesandro. . . . Dutch Kieffer
Andreas Katsulas. . . . Arthur
Dann Florek. . . . Marty Goldberg
Bill Marcus. . . . Hal Flynn
Michael C. Gwynne. . . . Mooch
Dermot Mulroney. . . . Michael Alperin

I am a sucker for fiction clothed
with real historical set pieces
(and have done several novels
with just such a theme)
and this one is a marvelous example
of how well that can be done.

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"Swashbuckler" Movie Review

2006-03-26T21:41:00.000-08:00

80. Swashbuckler

Here is a film that missed it's date. If it had been made about the time of
"The Three Musketeers," it would have been huge. It could have been released
the same weeks as "Pirates of the Caribbean" and it would have smashed
records. Unfortunately, like so many on this list, it was released when no
one was looking for just this kind of film.

The Errol Flynn era had passed and no one had yet picked up that gauntlet.
But it is a fine little bon bon, for those who like their pirate stories
full of memorable characters and beautiful locations.

Dazzling lady swordfighters, limerick spouting Captains, foolish authority
figures and evil men in charge, all these things that have forever made the
action adventure genre successful.
With Robert Shaw as the pirate captain, James Earl Jones as his first mate,
Peter Boyle (about as far from "Everybody Loves Raymond" as living in the same universe would allow) as the maniacal man in black who tortures more
easily than he loves Anjelica Huston at his side. Here's that cast: Robert Shaw. . . . "Red" Ned Lynch James Earl Jones. . . . Nick Debrett Peter Boyle. . . . Durant Geneviève Bujold. . . . Jane Barnet Beau Bridges. . . . Maj. Folly Geoffrey Holder. . . . Cudjo Quadrill Avery Schreiber. . . . Polonski Tom Clancy. . . . Mr. Moonbeam Anjelica Huston. . . . Woman of Dark Visage Bernard Behrens. . . . Sir James Barnet Dorothy Tristan. . . . Alice Mark Baker. . . . Lute player Kip Niven. . . . Willard Culverwell Tom Fitzsimmons. . . . Corporal Louisa Horton. . . . Lady Barnet Yes, there are time when the people on screen are having more fun than you are, but, all in all, that's okay.
There is a lot of fun untapped here. Tap a keg of it and enjoy.

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"Paint Your Wagon" Movie Review

2006-03-13T06:58:00.000-08:00

79. "Paint Your Wagon "

This is one of those legendary
"awful" movies.
When you say, "Lee Marvin & Clint Eastwood sing!"
That is enough for most people.
What they don't say is that this is a rollicking,
sexy, very nearly out of control musical
that was made when Hollywood
had given up on the musical.

First of all the music is glorius.
Here are examples (From Amazon of some of
that music by Harve Presnell
(as Rotten Luck Willie), an amazing male
chorus as well as
Messrs. Eastwood and Marvin
____________________________
1. Main Title (I'm On My Way) Listen ++Listen
                       2. I Still See ElisaListen ++Listen
    3. The First Thing You Know Listen ++Listen
4. Hand Me Down That Can O' Beans Listen ++Listen
     5. They Call The Wind Maria Listen ++Listen
6. A Million Miles Away Behind The Door Listen ++Listen
7. There's A Coach Comin In     Listen ++Listen
     8. Whoop-Ti-Ay! (Shivaree)Listen ++Listen
               9. I Talk To The Trees Listen ++Listen
10. The Gospel Of No Name City Listen ++Listen
                            11. Best Things Listen ++Listen
                            12. Wand'rin Star Listen ++Listen
                            13. Gold Fever Listen ++Listen
                                   14. Finale Listen ++Listen

The story of gold miners living beyond
the hand of civilization is one
that would resound if it opened today.
It is opulent in the "Old Hollywood" terms.

There are shots
(one where a stream of gold dust morphs into a blizzard)
that will stay with you.
There is a love story,
but not one you would expect.
The characters are broad and full of charm.

From Jean Seberg to Ray Walston
to a ton of craggy faces
you may quickly recognize
but not be able to name, they sparkle.
The humor is bawdy and without excuse.
When "respectability" threatens
their almost perfect world
is when the movie slows down a bit.

We are slapped in the face with the fact
that most of those around us are the folks
in the movie we would hate.
Then we have to face the fact that here,
like in our lives, they are winning.
It is a movie that couldn't be made
just the same way back in the old studio system.

It would be just too tame to be made today.
And it lost its shirt because
it was made when it was made.
The thing you will be grateful for,
when you see it, is that it did get made.
You will have been happy
you met Ben Rumson and his "Pard."

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"The Reivers" Movie Review

2006-02-26T10:06:00.000-08:00

78. The Reivers

Here is another case of a
missed Steve McQueen film.
He is not the dashing hero,
or the wronged protagonist.
He is not even the single focus of the film.
Young Mitch Vogel plays Lucius,
the boy who looks up to the McQueen character
like many of us looked up to that rogue uncle.

You know, the one that did
all the thingsthat your folks told you
good people don't do?
McQueen is that guy, and his name is Boon.
While the patriarch of the family is out of town,
Boon and friends talk the boy
into taking the prized
new Automobile out for a ride.

The Faulkner novel is done proud
in this adaptation
(With Burgess Meredith doing narration.)
There are harrowing escapes, foolish mistakes,
beautiful women with not a lot of clothes on,
and all kinds of things that make up one of those
''coming of age in the south'' stories.

Check out this cast:
Steve McQueen . . . . Boon Hogganbeck
Sharon Farrell . . . . Corrie
Ruth White . . . . Miss Reba
Michael Constantine . . . . Mr. Binford
Clifton James . . . . Butch Lovemaiden
Juano Hernandez . . . . Uncle Possum
Lonny Chapman . . . . Maury
Will Geer . . . . Boss
Rupert Crosse . . . . Ned
Mitch Vogel . . . . Lucius
Diane Shalet . . . . Hannah
Pat Randall . . . . May Ellen
Diane Ladd . . . . Phoebe
Ellen Geer . . . . Sally
Dub Taylor . . . . Dr. Peabody

There is even a climactic horse race
with everything in the balance at the end.
There is not a weak performance
or a missed opportunity
in the entire picture.
It will not make anyone's
"My God, that movie changed my life" list.
See it anyway.

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"Microcosmos" Movie Review

2006-02-12T20:34:00.000-08:00

77. Microcosmos

This documentary takes you into a world you never even considered before. It is not life at the South Pole or the African Velte. It isn't about the high mountains above the snow line, or the world of the deep caverns. It's about the world around a tree. A single tree. A single tree out in a field.

With brilliant photography and astounding commitment, this tells the story of the leaves and bugs and such around a tree as time passes and the world that happens right under your nose grows and changes and dies and is reborn. Like our own lives, that the world often ignores in favor of bigger and more flamboyant life, this film celebrates the real world that burgeons and erupts everywhere without being noticed by most humans.

Once you watch the whole film, you will never walk through the park with the same eyes. I guess you could say that you will find serendipity where ever you go.
And that, at the very least, is very cool.

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"The Norliss Tapes" Movie Review"

2006-01-29T23:09:00.000-08:00

76. The Norliss Tapes

When Dan Curtis was riding
the big wave of the 1970's
this was one of the good ones
that slipped under most radars.
Curtis had given us "Dark Shadows " and
"Kolchak: The Night Stalker ."

He was searching around
for another possible series and
came across this story that piqued his interest.
Roy Thinnes   playing
an investigative reporter didn't sound
that different from Kolchak,
but then came the twist.

He never appeared in the present day of the show.
Norliss had disappeared and
left a desk full of audio tapes
full of his research.
As his publisher tried to figure out
where his ace had gone off to, we are drawn into
the very Lovecraftian world of the tapes.

The researcher was involved with other worldly evil
and stood between that infestation
and the unsuspecting watchers.
This was the pilot movie
(much like the two "Kolchak" movies)
that was hoped would lead to another series.
The show featured many
of the Curtis stable of staples.
Folks like Claude Akins   joined Angie Dickenson
and Don Porter   in a flawless ensemble
to bolster Thinnes,
already well known in the field as the lead
in the ground-breaking series " The Invaders ."

People still say that this one,
shown late at night in reruns,
spooks them. It hasn't been released,
to my knowledge, on VHS or DVD.
So you will have to watch the listings to catch it.
But, if you do you will be glad you did.
Then you will wonder,
what was on all those other tapes?
And just where is David Norliss?

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"Shogun Assassin" Movie Review

2006-01-15T20:49:00.000-08:00

74. "Shogun Assassin "

This is part of a series of films,
based on a Japanese television show
that is based on a heroically long
series of manga comic books.
It tells of the Shogun's decapitator
who is politically dishonored
and thrown from power.

He and his family are the targets of a ninja clan
who want to increase their power.
They kill his wife, and,
in doing so destroy his life.
He must become a Ronan
(Samuarai without master,
sort of a gunfighter for hire, with swords).

There is only one problem, he has a small son.
Should he put the child out of danger
and possible misery?
He lets the child decide with a simple test,
and the boy chooses life.

Now they must face danger together in a film
of dazzling beauty and horror.
This is one of several films in the series.
Other names you will find are;
" Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance ,"
" Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx, "
" Lone Wolf and Cub - Baby Cart in Peril "
" Lone Wolf and Cub - Baby Cart to Hades "
Lone Wolf and Cub White Heaven in Hell "
&
" Lone Wolf and Cub-Baby in the Land of Demons ."
These films are not for everyone,
but if you see one and it is for you,
you will track down every other one you can.
You will find nobility, sacrifice and strength
that will tell you as much about yourself
as about the film makers.

It will also be a key to beginning to
understand another culture that shares
a surprising similarity to our own,
but not in any way you might have presumed.

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"I Bury The Living" Movie Review

2006-01-01T20:23:00.000-08:00

73. I Bury The Living This is a cheap, cheap, cheap movie that, even so, has a lot of truly chilling creepy moments. Richard Boone works in a cemetary office and when he alters the map of grave plots, people die. If he changes the right pins in the map, will they come back?
And what will they be like if they do come back? It could have been done on live tv, that is how little action is taking place in the film, but you will get a feeling of terror that is straight from the actor and director. Here is the cast: Richard Boone. . . . Robert Kraft Theodore Bikel. . . . Andy McKee Peggy Maurer. . . . Ann Craig Robert Osterloh. . . . Lt. Clayborne Herbert Anderson. . . . Jess Jessup Howard Smith. . . . George Kraft Russ Bender. . . . Henry Trowbridge Glen Vernon. . . . Stuart Drexel Lynette Bernay. . . . Elizabeth Drexel Ken Drake. . . . Bill Honegger Cyril Delevanti. . . . William Isham There is no blood, no big special effects, the music is understated for the most part and the greatest chills come with Boone alone on the screen. If you don't need slashers and don't fear thinking, this might be one of the truest examples of "Serendipity Cinema"
you might ever be lucky enough to discover. Turn off the lights and have a great late night time.

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"Million Dollar Legs" (1932) Movie Review

2005-12-18T23:25:00.000-08:00

72. Million Dollar Legs (1932)

It is W. C. Fields and a host of other comics from the 30's doing the kind of silly nonsense that would be right at home under a Monty Python banner, but with all the references way out of most current viewers' reach. It was made for the L.A. Olympics and lampoons movies and popular culture of its time. Taken in those terms it boarders on brilliance. If you are willing to listen tom comedy that your grand parents might have thought funny (in some of your cases, great-grand parents, god save me) then you could have a surrealistic experience here.
Here's the cast:
Jack Oakie. . . . Migg Tweeny
W.C. Fields. . . . The President
Andy Clyde. . . . The Major-Domo
Lyda Roberti. . . . Mata Machree
Susan Fleming. . . . Angela
Ben Turpin. . . . Mysterious Man
Hugh Herbert. . . . Secretary of the Treasury
George Barbier. . . . Mr. Baldwin, President Baldwin Brush Co.
Dickie Moore. . . . Willie, Angela's Brother

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"The President's Analyst" Movie Review

2005-12-04T21:09:00.000-08:00

71. The President's Analyst This is one of those movies that are really a child of their time.
You will find so many references to the America of the 1960's. The paranoia of the previous decade coupled with the "anything goes"
spirit of the 60's. This with the background of some of the slyest comedic spies ever put on film. Some folks don't get it, the pacing seems all wrong, the humor is almost British in its dryness. But, if you take it at the lovely silliness that it holds out to you, then you will have the kind of fun that the "Flint" films gave you, with just a touch of Thurber or Sheperd thrown in. Here's the cast: James Coburn. . . . Dr. Sidney Schaefer Godfrey Cambridge. . . . Don Masters, CEA Agent Severn Darden. . . . V.I. Kydor Kropotkin Joan Delaney. . . . Nan Butler Pat Harrington Jr.. . . . Arlington Hewes, President of TPC Barry McGuire. . . . Old Wrangler Jill Banner. . . . Snow White Eduard Franz. . . . Ethan Allen Cocket, CEA Director Walter Burke. . . . Henry Lux, FBR Chief Will Geer. . . . Dr. Lee-Evans William Daniels. . . . Wynn Quantrill Joan Darling. . . . Jeff Quantrill Sheldon Collins. . . . Bing Quantrill Arte Johnson. . . . Sullivan, FBR Agent Martin Horsey. . . . 1st Puddlian (Canadian Secret Service) You may not understand how we felt about the phone company back then,
but there are a lot of the jokes here that even kids under 30 could get.

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